Sorrowful Carnation
by Rie-no-Hisato
Summary: The past could never be changed... But it affects the future. Masamune and Sasuke were left devastated after the death of their beloved one, while Kojuuro could do nothing but becoming the audience in this sorrowful theater. (DateSana and SasuYuki hints) WARNING! CHARACTER'S DEATH!


**Sorrowful Carnation  
**

**Title**: Sorrowful Carnation

**Pairing**: Hints of DateSana and SasuYuki

**Genre**: Yaoi, Tragedy

**Summary**: The past could never be changed... But it affects the future. Masamune and Sasuke were left devastated after the death of their beloved one, while Kojuuro could do nothing but becoming the audience in this sorrowful theater.

**A/N: WARNING! **Character's death in this story... Oh, this's Rie, by the way. It's been a while since I last updated my story so I think I better give you readers something since I know I'm such a slow writer... Well, it's better than nothing, no? Anyway, I wrote this story about 2 years ago in high school for my literature homework-... yeah, shounen-ai story. And no, my teacher is quite cool about it, or maybe she just didn't bother to read it. I translated it into English and stopped midway due to some reason... and now when I think it's time to finish it, the papers just had disappear, gone, lost... Still, I wanna share this with you and hear what you think since this is the first and last time I wrote about something sad like tragedy...

Well, enough with the into. We better get to the story right away. Enjoy-...! Wait, this's a sad story... Whatever. And please forgive me for any grammar mistake, this is my work from 2 years ago... And I just posted it now. Wow.

* * *

Masamune sat near the window like a broken doll, gazing up into the blue sky. The bright warm light swept his face so gently together with the calm-blowing wind. But still, not even a loud noise could give a flinch on the man's expressionless frame. He had lost it, the most precious thing he ever had. The dragon was no longer strong as before, slowly walking into unavoidable extinction. A piece of beautiful memory crossed in his mind, sending a giant sad wave that forced the Leader of Oushu to let his tears flowing out. But every single tear he threw ended up as a mere waste. Nothing could wash the bloody tainted scar in his shattered heart.

"Yukimura... I'm sorry..." Masamune mumbled like a silent whisper with rusty voice.

In front of the room, a pair of eyes was watching quietly from a small crack at the door. Kojuuro couldn't see anymore, the sight he was looking at crushed his unreadable emotion to pieces. Masamune was doomed; drowned into a bottomless hole. The brown-coated man wanted to help him, but now no one could do. Only Yukimura had the power to pull him out from suffering, but he wasn't here anymore. He went away and wouldn't even come back.

Sanada Yukimura had passed away...

If only he was still alive, everything would be different. Everything would be better. Everything surely would-...

"Kojuuro, I know you're there," the One-Eyed Dragon informed, catching Kojuuro on guard. Kojuuro sighed; exhaling the entire oxygen he saved inside his lung; and opened the slide door sideway. His lord didn't even spare him a look to welcome him. He stayed in the exact position he was before Kojuuro entered the room.

Kojuuro gulped, gathering his courage and recovering his numb sense to form the best word he may say. "Masamune-sama," it was all he was able to say. It took almost all of his might and energy to hide his hesitation and worry.

"You know I don't like having anyone spying on me, don't you?"

"Yes... I'm sorry," Masamune-sama."

"Don't think about it. Just... Don't repeat the same mistake. Understand?" Masamune asked without turning his head toward Kojuuro, either he was angry or didn't want to do it. Judging from his tone, neither of it was the cause. He was just tired, tired of everything.

"Yes, Masamune-sama."

"You may go... Don't disturb me anymore."

Kojuuro wanted to say one more word when Masamune suddenly cut him; one hand lifted in the air. As the general and also a man that had been taking care of Masamue since the said man was a kid, Kojuuro knew better than anyone else about him. He wouldn't listen to him right now; talking was a useless way to spend his breath. Kojuuro gave up without any try, already knowing the result from the very beginning. He just bowed to show his respect and stepped back to get out from the gloomy space.

With heavy will burdened him, the man with scar on his cheek closed the fusuma behind him and fell into another deep thought. It was just a second but he could swear he saw it. A drip of tear... Masamune was crying. To tell the truth, Kojuuro was kind of surprised and taken aback with disbelief. Since he was a small, little kid, Date Masamune had never show his tears even in the hardest and most painful moment in his life. But now... right in front of his eyes, the tough arrogant Azure Dragon wasted his energy, crying for a form of a man he just knew around two years ago.

"Sanada Yukimura, you surely had the most special place in Masamune-sama's s somewhat small heart..." Kojuuro mumbled quietly.

Just then, a small tapped sound caught by his sharp ears. He immediately went to the source and stopped when caught a glance of green outside the window. He blinked, making sure he wasn't just imagining thing. Willing to know the truth, Kojuuro went toward one room near his location, which had been prepared for one special guest. The door was tightly locked from inside, but Kojuuro was a clever man. He touched the handle and pushed the door open with full strength. Just as Kojuuro thought, no one was inside. The window fully opened, making noises when the wind hit the wooden plates toward the wall.

"Sarutobi Sasuke," he stated with single nod, grabbing the side of the window to return the silent condition into the almost lifeless room. "It looks like I need to take an eye on him as well. Your choice to die seriously brings a lot of trouble, Yukimura-sama."

SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB

Sarutobi Sasuke stepped on another branches and pushed his own body into another high-far jump. Wind blew calmly around him, accompanying him to the obvious destination. Birds flew by his side, following him with questioned chirp. But Sasuke paid them no mind; he just focused himself on one personal special mission. His mind and sanity told him to forget all about it and try a new life, but his heart was begging him to go there... To recall all of those sweet bitter memories.

Sky was always become the fastest way to reach any kind of place, as long as it was willing to help. Sasuke arrived on his last destination, grabbing one big branch to hold his weight and then kneeling on it as watched the scenery in front of him. A slight smile carved on his lips, the smile he had forgotten a while ago. With a little chuckle, Sasuke did his last jump and landed on the deserted land. The moment his feet touched the ground, the very same time his half-hearted grin disappeared.

It was so different, yet a couple evidence of living being that had lived there not long ago still left. Sasuke knelt and felt the earth beneath him using his hand. The same warmth, the same feeling, and a couple same smells... Yet different voices and shapes. They were no longer the same cheerful laugh he used to hear, no happy grin, no noisy step sound, no… Just nobody. Nothing.

"Danna..." Sasuke lifted his eyelids and gazed into empty space. "Yukimura-danna..."

**FLASHBACK**

"_Sasuke!" a brown haired man waved cheerfully, approaching the Shinobi with his kid-looking smile. His puppy eyes were shining brightly without a single cloud covering them. "Hey, Sasuke!"_

"_What is it, Danna?" Sasuke smiled gently, welcoming the innocent lad with open arms._

"_Oyakata-sama told me my skill has been improved! Can you belie__ve__ it?!"_

"_Well, congratulation, Danna!" the orange haired man said as messing up Yukimura's hair just like an older brother._

"_Thanks, Sasuke! I'm so happy!" Yukimura grinned widely, expressing the giant sea of happiness inside him. "Well, I'm going to train harder and make Oyakata-sama proud of me! You should do the same, Sasuke! Both of us will get stronger and bring victory for Oyakata-sama!"_

"_Yeah, I'm sure we will!"_

**END FLASHBACK**

A small chuckle escaped for the second times from Sasuke's parted lips. Such a short nostalgia... He couldn't help himself, just seeing Yukimura's form in his mind were enough to make him giggling to death in peace. A naive man... Everyone would think he was stupid far from normality the first time they met him. But when they observed him deeper, they would realize that Yukimura was one of a kind. Nobody was as sheltered as him, in Sasuke's own opinion.

He was a great man and Sasuke knew that. He was tough and energetic, loyal to his master no matter what other people said. But then, aside of his job as the right hand of Takeda Shingen, he was no more than a brat with straight simple mind. He didn't understand a lot of thing about the world. Sasuke was sure that boy had never kiss a woman in his entire life, on the lips of course. A couple girls at Kai even wondered if he was gay, which made Sasuke spend his day laughing like crazy. But yeah, it he really was one maybe Sasuke wouldn't mind to consider becoming his partner.

If only he could, Sasuke wanted to lock him inside a cage and protect him all by himself. Yukimura was his greatest treasure, and he would fight until the last drip of his blood for him. If it was for him, Sasuke didn't mind even if he had to become the worst man in the earth or even destroy the whole living being. He made a promise to himself back then, a promise to watch over Yukimura and make sure he was away from threat. But now... that promise turned into a mere giant lie.

Sasuke had failed...

Not just once, but twice...

He couldn't save Takeda Shingen from his end. He let Yukimura fell into endless depression and incurable scar. He had lost count of how many days Yukimura had spent all by himself crying inside Takeda's room. Light turned away from Sasuke as he watched the younger man cried helplessly. But it looked like hope still gave him a chance to repair his mistake; Yukimura was able to stand back to his feet and returned to his own self with new mission. That time, Sasuke promised never let Yukimura back into the same suffering. But he did it...

Sasuke fulfilled his promise. Yukimura would never cry anymore, not even a single tear of sadness would roll down from those big round puppy eyes. He wouldn't ever feel sad anymore, neither would he feel the happiness he used to show to people around him. He wouldn't and he couldn't because he wouldn't able to.

Sanada Yukimura was dead.

The Shinobi had failed to protect his treasure. He had failed to save Yukimura and let his enemy incinerate Kai into dust. He was a failed shameful ninja with no chance for redemption.

"Danna..." Sasuke lowered his head in an awkward silence. "I'm too weak... I can't even protect you... Please, forgive me, Danna... Forgive me..."

SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB*SB

'_Masamune-dono! There you are!'_

"Yuki-...mura...?"

'_Let's fight! I won't lose this time!'_

"Yukimura? Is that you...?"

'_Stop struggling, Masamune-dono! You'll reopen your wound!'_

"H-hey... Yukimura...!"

'_Masamune-dono... I'm sorry... This's all I can... do... for you... Are you... alright...?'_

"Yukimura! Hey, hang on! Don't-...!"

'_I'm glad... Masamune-dono... Thank you... for... everything...'_

"No! Yukimura!"

'_Masamune-dono... Sasu-...ke...'_

"YUKIMURA!"

Masamune screamed out loud, emptying his throat from his restrained cry. He jumped on his futon, quickly forced himself into sitting position. Sweat covered his body and made him look like a drenched sewer rat. The leader of Oushu panted wildly and observed the entire room. There was nobody, just himself trapped in the thick darkness. No one... No blood... No battlefield... No Yukimura. Everything was nothing more but a really bad dream, which had haunted him lately. Dream about Yukimura...

The One-Eyed Dragon rubbed his temple with trembling hand. For a simple nightmare it was all too real, far too real. That was memory... Memory from the moment he lost hold on Yukimura's soul. The moment he lost him forever. Masamune groaned in frustration. Why couldn't he forget it? He wanted to throw every painful part in his past and enjoy his victorious life. He won the long-last battle, for God's sake! But that memory... Everything about Yukimura always appeared inside his messed up mind and tortured him just by seeing that face. Why? It made all of his efforts tasted as nothing but emptiness and meaningless.

"Masamune-sama?!" Kojuuro called from outside, knocking the door patiently rather than just bragging in. "Are you alright?!"

'_Are you... alright...?'_

A familiar voice crossed inside Masamune's half-working brain. Yukimura... The same words escaped from his slight parted lips a moment before his death. Masamune stunned and couldn't control some pieces of his sanity. His body started to shake and his vision blurred for a moment. Why? Why couldn't he keep his calm over such a thing? It was Kojuuro who said it, not Yukimura. Kojuuro asked him if he was alright, not Yukimura. Not Yukimura…

Masamune bit his lower lip to prevent him from shouting from frustration. He took a deep breath but it was getting hared to fill his lung due to the panic he experienced. God, please help him. He would go insane if this thing kept up. Sanada Yukimura...

"Y-Yuki-..."

"Masamune-sama!"

"Kojuuro?" the black haired man snapped out from his sudden shock.

The fusuma opened and Kojuuro walked in, rushing right toward his master then kneeling next to him. "Are you alright, Masamune-sama?!" the said man asked, his face looked even paler than Masamune's. Kojuuro hated to see this vulnerable state his lord was in but he should be the one to calm him down.

'_Are you... alright...?'_

"S-stop asking that, Idiot! I'm okay!"

"Yes... Masamune-sama," Kojuro bowed, even though he could read the real situation from Masamune's obvious expression. Again and again, Masamune was having that nightmare. The same nightmare about Sanada Yukimura's death.

"So? What're you doing, keep kneeling there? I already told you I'm okay."

"I know. I just wanted to give you this," Kojuuro showed a plate filled with sweet kind of food. Masamune was frozen when caught a glance of it. Those color... the smell and shapes... "Everyone's worried about your condition and made this special for you."

Dango... Three or four thrust of Dango placed on top of the plate; showered by the bright moonlight. Masamune stared at those round sweets in front of his eye with pure shock. Dango... Yukimura's favorite food. Usually, that food would pull his lips to make a vivid smile, remembering how happy Yukimura was when he chomped it in one swoop. But it wouldn't stand on the list when Masamune just woke up from one special nightmare, especially now.

'_Masamune-dono! Here, try some of it! This's delicious, the greatest Japanese food ever!'_

With sudden anger, Masamune threw away his blanket and stood up. Kojuuro gapped and quickly followed his master's movement. Lack of warning and preparation, the brown clothed man received one strong shove on his chest and stumbled, losing his usual perfect balance. The plate he brought was falling from his hand, met the floor and shattered to pieces; same went with the now unshaped Dango. Even though Kojuuro wanted to defend himself with some question, he found himself unable to let any voice came out from his hitched throat. Masamune's face was furious; Kojuuro shouldn't have brought that Dango in the first place...

"Masamune-sama...!"

"Get out, Kojuuro!" Masamune cut his general's words with one loud shout.

"But, Masa-...!" the general tried to say something.

"GET OUT!"

Before the older one could say anything, one strong hand gave the last hard shove and closed the slide door. Kojuuro stunned, his face was more than expressionless. He tried to find his way back into the room by pushing the door aside to open it. The present for him came right in time. When his hand touched the flat surface, a sharp blade pierced through the door and stopped in front of Kojuuro's neck. It was only one more millimeter until the blade drew blood.

"Open the door and you're finished. I'm serious, Kojuuro," Masamune's spoke coldly. There was no hesitation in his voice, just like how he spoke in the war. "Go away."

"Y-yes... Masamune-sama," Kojuuro replied as taking a couple step back. Forcing himself in would only send him right to his grave.

Kojuuro immediately made his retreat with his hand empty. Now he made his lord pulled even closer to the end of his sanity. He only made it worse than before. The brown clothed man sighed heavily, holding his urge to punch the wall out of his frustration. Why should all of this thing happened?

The silent moment was interrupted by a small sound from the corridor. A normal people wouldn't hear it, but it was the Right-Eye Dragon we were talking about. He knew whom it was without any need to take a peek and approached the sound source. Standing near the window, less of guard and self-protection, Sasuke stroke his black crow, which was hanging quietly on his shoulder. The ninja offered his hand and let his pet jumped to it, then pushed it outside to give the crow an easier way out.

"Good evening," Sasuke greeted warmly, already noticing Kojuuro's presence. "Nice day, huh?"

"Indeed," Kojuuro replied with a nod.

"Ahh... Another day to let go, gotta go to catch some Z's. "

"You went to that place again, didn't you?"

"...," it surely hit the mark since Sasuke refused to give an immediate reply. "Straight to the topic, aren't you?" the orange haired man spoke; his tone changed 180 degree toward the cold side. Kojuuro watched the said man's expression and movement carefully.

"How is it?" he started slowly, he didn't want to take another fight in his supposedly peaceful night. The one he had with Masamune before was more than enough.

"Same as before, nothing's change..."

"Oh... Sarutobi Sasuke, I don't have any intention to interfere, but... Wouldn't it be better if you just-...?"

"No," Sasuke stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "It's not like I don't want to... I just can't. I lived there, worked there, and dedicated my whole life there..."

"Then don't forget it. Just... give yourself a break for a moment. It won't give you any good if you keep remembering him and blaming yourself-..."

"Forgetting him isn't one of my choices..."

"Sarutobi-..."

"Forget it! This is the only piece of treasure I could keep to proof that Kai and him were existed! If you're here only to ask me to forget him, you're wasting your time! I'll never, ever, erase my Master from my mind!"

"Even if you know you may be the death of you?" Kojuuro's tone turned serious. It went too far now, and he had to snap the young ninja back to his sense. Sasuke's voice and face started to make him scared... "Sarutobi, you-…"

"Never, even until the last drip of my tainted blood!" the ninja hissed and disappeared from the scene. Away from anyone.

Regret flooded in Kojuuro's heart as the wind blowing through the wide opened window. He saw it, Sasuke's hurting eyes. And this time he was the one who causing it. One more person suffered because of his stupid words...

* * *

**Aaaaaannnddd~... that's all.  
**

**What? I know it's unfinished. Like I said, I lost the papers and I hadn't finish the translation by the time I realized it. Soooo... If you guys like this story, please give me your review and I will try my best to remember the continuation. It has been 2 years but I think I can manage to recall it... maybe. **

**Well, thanks for your time. Review, please!**

**Rie**


End file.
